A number of leading travel and tourism experts will provide valuable insight into successfully managing in turbulent times when they make presentations at various sessions at the 26th annual Caribbean Tourism Conference (CTC-26) in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) from October 16-18, 2003.

This year’s conference, themed: “Recovery and Growth in a Fiercely Competitive Environment” is expected to provide a vital platform for information exchange and to generate new ideas on how to grow and thrive in a highly competitive environment.

Cuba’s Expo Tradeshow that came to a magnificent close Sunday in the Mexican city of Merida –in the state of Yucatan- lived up to both Cuban and Mexican entrepreneurs’ expectations.

“We’re leaving fully satisfied because the event rose to the expectations,” said Antonio Luis Carricante, Cuba’s Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Chairman of the island nation’s Chamber of Commerce as he wrapped up the Cuban fair, local newspaper Por Estoi reported.

Just a few hours away from the official kickoff in Mexico City, the World Tourism Exposition (WTE) is generating huge expectations in the region’s industry for this is the first time ever that wholesalers, retailers, industry offices, airlines, cruise companies and hotel chains are summoned all together.

TurEspaña will be at the World Tourism Exposition (WTE) to be held in Mexico from Sept. 24 to 28 at the Banamex Center of the nation’s capital with an estimated attendance of delegations from over two dozen countries.

Autonomous communities such as the Basque Country and all of Spain’s top hotel groups will come to the first edition of the WTE. Companies like Fil Hotels, Festival Cruises, Al Andaluz Trains and Transcantabrico, among many other Spanish firms, will showcase their very best products at the fair.

Peru is scheduled to host the opening ceremony of the upcoming Berlin International Tourism Marketplace that will stretch from March 12 to 16 next year, a spokesperson for the world’s largest tourism fair said.

“We want to contribute to Peru’s promotion as an attractive, interesting and many-sided destination,” said Peter Koeppen, a spokesman for the ITB who also referred to the meetings on this matter held between event planners and Peruvian representatives.

Under the sponsorship of the Tourist Professionals Association of Costa Rica (ACOPROT), execs from the leisure industry will gather in San Jose to attend the First Central American Marketplace –scheduled for Oct. 20 to 26- with a view to promote the local tourist product in the European market.